INSPIRE
As Under 8s Week comes to a close across the state today, we look back on the best events and pictures from across the Gold Coast.
As Under 8s Week comes to a close across the state today, we look back on the best events and pictures from the Gold Coast.
IT stretched across 10 days of fun, excitement and learning, but Under 8s Week 2018 has finally come to a close.
The event, started by Early Childhood Australia 60 years ago, in 2018 celebrated Australia’s diversity with its theme “Exploring Language and Culture”.
Event co-ordinator Marie Stuart said the long-running event had only grown over time, becoming a way to share insights and ideas across different childcare facilities.
“The project aims to increase the profile and awareness of the importance of early years,” she said, adding it was a chance for schools to show just what they can provide.
“We’ve got interest coming from the rest of Australia, and I think it will grow to be a national activity, but we’re very proud of it being in Queensland.
“Children get a chance to really get into it, to experience and explore learning within their community and culture.”
Sixty different schools and centres registered for the event, with many being a combination of day cares, schools and childcare centres coming together as one.
“That’s what we suggest to people when they contact us, we do encourage centres to link up,” Ms Stuart said.
One such school did just that, with Oxenford State School receiving a visit from its smaller neighbours at Goodstart Early Learning.
At Oxenford, the focus was
less on the theme, and more on celebrating childhood, according to deputy principal Dani Radley.
“We had a celebration of everything that’s good about being under eight,” she said.
“It is a really important time in a child’s life, you’re not young for very long.
“Oxenford has a lot of different cultures, so I think it was about celebrating being young rather than the culture, and just celebrating the culture as what we do anyway.”
The school even had some celebrity visitors, with the Gold Coast Suns and the Titans stopping in to say hello.
But now that it’s all over, it’s time to look back at some of the best pics from all the communities who took part around the Coast.